


Calypso

by webelongtothemaze



Category: The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Action/Adventure, Arguing, Comfort/Angst, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Possible Character Death, Sailing, Sassy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:13:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23688238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/webelongtothemaze/pseuds/webelongtothemaze
Summary: Set at the time of the solar flares in England (AU), meet some new characters along with your favourites as they try to avoid tsunamis, storms and hostile gangs aboard their boat Calypso. Original plot but the characters we all love plus a few OCs.(Published on fanfiction.net with same name)
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, this is my first time posting on this site but I've been writing for a couple of years now. This is my first fic writing solo so I hope you enjoy! All you favourite characters will come into the story at some point as well as various scenes that have been inspired by the book. If you have any scenarios or pairings you would like to see, leave a comment and I'll see what I can do ;)

It was an unusually hot September afternoon the day the world began to end.

Term had just begun for Ally, but orchestra rehearsals were already well underway, much to her annoyance. She sighed as she lifted her violin to play the same few bars again, hating certain members of the wind section who just could not count. Everyone here was supposedly playing their first instrument, not that you could tell from the way some people were playing. The heat wasn’t helping matters and the breeze coming through the windows was too warm to be refreshing. She inwardly groaned as they stopped again and discreetly slid her phone out of her pocket and hid it behind her violin as she unlocked the screen.

_Meet me outside asap_

Messages from her roommates during the day weren’t unusual but Lyra should be in engineering labs for the rest of the day and she knew Ally didn't finish till five. She was just trying to come up with a good excuse to leave and see what was wrong when frantic whispering filled the room which quickly gave way to shouting as people got up and started packing their instruments away.

“What's going on?” Ally asked her desk partner as she messaged Lyra back to say she was coming.

“There’s another solar flare coming, look at the news!”

Ally cursed using up her data earlier in the month and began to pack up her violin. The chaos around her grew stronger at the mention of solar flares and dread started to build in her stomach. There had been solar flares in the past but the most they had done was damage GPS systems and cause heat waves. However, as global warming had exponentially increased during her lifetime, freaky weather had started to become the norm and there had been recent warnings that the atmosphere could no longer offer the same protection against solar flares as it had done in the past. The last one had been awful; drought, ruined crops, forest fires; but the world had continued. Trying desperately to get online for more information, she grabbed her case and headed outside to find Lyra. The rehearsal had dissolved, and the conductor had disappeared, it was time to go.

Ally looked across the square to see if Lyra was coming out of her university buildings but the flood of people coming out of her building forced her to move further in. She headed for their usual meeting place, the concert hall in the centre, and tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

Students were piling out of the surrounding buildings, some sprinting for the tube a few streets away and others were on their phones, staring at the sky as if they could see the deadly rays.

“What is going on Ly?” Ally asked again as she spotted her and walked up.

“Solar flares you idiot.”

“Yes, I know solar flares, but I haven’t been able to get online. How much worse is it than last time?”

“These ones are far worse than before; can't you feel their heat already? People are saying we have around five hours until they strike. They don't even know what to do, everyone is going home and getting supplies, hoping if they stay inside it will be alright.”

“Then let's do that,” Ally turned to walk to the tube station, but Lyra grabbed her arm.

“We have to wait for Rhea, she's coming now. Her art professor insisted they finish their pieces.”

“Why couldn't we all just meet at the apartment, why meet here?”

Lyra sighed, she hated having to explain things.

“See with the magnitude they are predicting it should be enough to damage electrical transformers which could cause fires within the city- staying here is not safe.”

“Then we go to my summer house, it’s only two hours away so we have plenty of time,” Ally suggested.

Lyra bit her lip, she was hiding something,

“What is it?”

“We were all distracted in class when the news came through so we stopped our projects did some calculations with my professor on the magnitude and possible outcomes and, okay you’re going to tell me I’m being stupid-“

“Just tell me,” Ally interrupted,

“I think it’s going to melt the ice caps.”

Ally was silent for a second. “How sure are you?”

Lyra kept biting her lip, she was going to draw blood if she wasn’t careful.

“Well, with the magnitude predicted and the weakened atmosphere we are looking at a sudden 15 degree global temperature increase at least and it could last anywhere from thirty minutes to ten hours.”

“Sudden temperature increase means surge in sea levels,” Ally followed, suddenly understanding.

“And potentially a tsunami.” Lyra finished.

“What’s everyone else in your class doing.”

“Either heading inland or trying to get on a boat.”

“Then we do that.”

“But Ally, what if I’m wrong?”

“I’d rather be on a boat and look a little dramatic that stay here and drown. We are on a small island relatively speaking, there will be very few places that won’t go underwater if you’re right.”

“Very true,” Lyra nodded and looked at her phone, getting her contacts up to call Rhea.

“So where are we going to get a boat from?”

“I have a boat,” Lyra said as she answered the phone.

“You have a boat.” Ally repeated.

Lyra nodded, then went back to urging Rhea to hurry up.

“Okay, to be honest I’m not surprised. Let’s go!” Ally quipped as she spotted Rhea walking up to them, her bag full of art supplies weighing down on her shoulders.

“Hey, wait guys!” Rhea shouted as she began running after them as they turned towards the station.

The three of them ran through the tube network, cramming themselves onto a carriage to get to Waterloo, Ally filling in Rhea as quickly as she could.

“We have to get to Portsmouth,” Lyra said as they neared the station.

“But that is hours away!” Rhea pointed out,

“My father had a yacht which he kept in Portsmouth. He left it to me when he died. The keys are on my house keys so thankfully I didn’t have to go home. It’s a three-crew ship so we should be able to manage.”

The two girls looked at her sceptically, they had all sailed a bit but never a yacht.

“Look, it's better if we don't have to hijack a boat and involve anyone else. Who knows what is going to happen and I'm only getting on a boat with people I trust. Plus, I know how this boat works. Ally, you can be on navigation and Rhea, the sails and I'll hel- I’ll steer.”

“When you said boat, I thought you meant, a small sailing boat or perhaps something with an electric motor. Not a fancy yacht!”

“My father never did anything small, you know that,” Lyra said with a small smile.

“At least we are going into the apocalypse in style,” Rhea laughed.

“Solar flares at five, cocktails at six?”

The three girls burst out laughing at Ally’s joke, it was all a bit too surreal. Just this morning the three of them had been fighting over the last piece of toast and now they were abandoning their London lives for the foreseeable future.

By the time they made it to Waterloo, Ally had figured that they had approximately four and a half hours left. She told the others and received a tight nod from Lyra who was scanning the overhead boards for the next train.

“This way,” she shouted, dragging Rhea along.

The sheer volume of people migrating through the huge station made it easy to jump the barriers- although Ally struggled a bit with her violin case which she had somehow managed to bring along.

“Just leave it! We won't have a need for it on the boat, what are you planning to do, serenade the fish?” Lyra hissed as she helped Ally over the barrier, “and you Rhea, leave the bloody art supplies!”

“NO!” They both shouted, both far too attached to their bags.

“I can't just cast Henry aside!”

“Ally, I've told you time and time again how weird it is that you have named your viola-”

“Violin.”

“Yes, fine, whatever. Rhea, you can't paint on a boat.”

Rhea looked annoyed but quickly took out her paints, clay tools and several metal poles.

“That’s the heavy stuff, I’m not leaving my sketch book,” she snapped when Lyra opened her mouth to object. Ally stood with her violin on her back defiantly, she was not leaving it behind.

They slipped onto the train at the front and began making their way down. It was packed, being a main line for all the commuters who were desperately trying to make it home, which was perfect for the girls. If they got to the middle of the train, then they might be able to make it through the two and a half hour journey to Portsmouth without meeting a guard and having to buy tickets.

They settled themselves in an area between two carriages and sat down.

“We need supplies,” Lyra said, “There's a saltwater converter on the boat so we don't need to worry about dehydration, but we need food. Tins will be best of course-”

“Suncream,” Rhea said suddenly.

“Well yes, I suppose.”

“And spare clothes.”

“Really Ally, you think of clothes now?”

“I'm not staying on a boat for an indefinite length of time with only the clothes I am wearing now.”

“Okay, and there will be a first aid kit on the boat but I think extra bandages just in case. Torches and spare batteries as well.”

“Soap at least. If we are going into an apocalyptic situation, I still want to maintain my personal hygiene.”

Suggestions continued until a list was written out and the girls debated on what they could probably do without.

“Weapons,” Ally said after they had all been silent for some time.

Rhea looked at Ally like she was going crazy but Lyra looked thoughtful.

“Who knows what is going to happen, I just want to be prepared.”

“I agree, but where from? We're in England, we have no firearm stores.”

“Then knives will have to do. I don't care if it is a giant kitchen knife, we just need something.”

The carriage slowly started emptying as they passed through the many stations. With each station, a new layer of dread set in.

“I've looked online for the nearest supermarket to the boatyard.”

“Good work Rhea. Ally, how much time do we have left?”

“By the time we get there, we should have an hour and a half and even then, that is just based on an approximation. We need to move quickly.”

The girls rose to their feet as the train pulled into the station nearest the boatyard and Ally tightened the straps on her violin case. Lyra, having left all her bags back in London bounced on the balls of her feet, eager to stretch her legs and get on with her plan. They quickly made their way into the streets and saw chaos. Stores had obviously been looted and curtains had been drawn in a hopeless way to keep out the Sun. Cars had been horribly parked, stopping any easy flow of traffic and people ran from shadow to shadow, paranoia setting in.

The girls saw some bikes parked in an alleyway and decided it would be faster than on foot.

Rhea led them to the supermarket, hiding their bikes in a nearby alleyway.

“A Tesco's? Classy,” Lyra mumbled as they raced towards it.

“Sorry Princess, there are no Waitrose nearby,” Rhea shot back.

“Is anyone in there?” Ally asked as they approached the doors.

“I can't see any movement, just be on your guard.”

They walked in and started moving between the aisles grabbing what they needed. Rhea grabbed a trolley as their arms became too full and the girls started to relax. It almost felt like they were doing their weekly shop.

“Guys, do we need sanitary towels?”

“Hmm, I dunno Rhea, is the Pope a Catholic?”

“But why can't we bring marshmallows?”

“We're trying to survive, not share stories around a camp-fire Ally!”

“We need more first aid.”

“I don't like tinned mandarins.”

“Stop sulking Ly. You will like them when it is the last thing we have to eat.”

“I will _not_ wear those horrible orange shorts.”

“Oh shut up, there's not a lot of choice in here.”

“We definitely don't need scented candles, we're not having a romantic cruise.”

“Carving knives of cleavers?”

They were at the back of the shop looking at the range of kitchen knives when they heard a group of people walk in, talking loudly.

“We'll camp out in here, plenty of supplies.”

The girls froze, all laughter wiped from their faces.

“What if anyone comes in.”

“Then we send them away.”

A horrible laugh echoed down the silent store and the girls' shivered. _Send them away_ would not be a kind decline.

They made their way across the back to the opposite end of the store then turned down the far aisle, Lyra taking the lead, holding a carving knife she had managed to break out of its child-friendly packaging. Rhea followed with the supplies with Ally behind, another knife in her hands.

“Oi!” the shout came from behind them, “What you doing in here? Stop them, they got our stuff!”

Lyra ran forwards, heading towards the unguarded entrance but Rhea was frozen.

“MOVE!” Ally shouted in her ear, pushing her after Lyra and grabbing the trolley.

Rhea and Lyra sprinted for the door, but Ally saw a man run towards them from behind the tills. He was holding a wickedly sharp knife in his hands.

“Watch out!” Ally yelled, a few steps behind the others.

Rhea noticed the man first and pushed Lyra out of the way before the man could stab her in the back.

Ally watched as Lyra stabbed him in the arm. He yelped in pain and jumped back letting the girls race through the door. Ally followed as the man's companions ran from the shadows, trying to block her exit. She increased her speed and used the trolley to force her way through a stack of cans, distracting them enough to let her barrel past and onto the street. She skidded around the corner and followed the others towards the boatyard, looking behind her to see that the guys had decided not to waste time chasing her.

Something up ahead was wrong. Rhea seemed to be leaning on Lyra for support as they raced down the road.

They pulled into a side street and Ally pushed in after them. Rhea was sitting up, leaning against the wall with a hand to her shoulder, blood flowing between her fingers.

“Shit, I didn’t know you’d been hit,” Ally swore as she dug around the trolley for the bandages they had picked up.

“Don’t waste time on me, you have to get to the boat,” Rhea argued, taking small painful breaths, tears streaking down her face.

“We are not leaving you behind,” Lyra replied harshly, tearing off the girl’s shirt sleeve to get a better view.

“I’ve found some disinfectant and bandages,” Ally said as she took Lyra’s place in front of Rhea, “This is going to sting like hell.”

Ally didn’t wait for the injured girl to reply before pouring the disinfectant onto the wound and quickly wrapping the bandage around her arm.

Rhea cried out, trying to pull her arm out of Ally’s hands but Lyra held her down, whispering in her ear.

“I’m so sorry,” Ally grimaced as she stood up, “We need to keep going. I can dress it better on the boat but that will have to do for now.”

Lyra helped Rhea up, slung her good arm over her shoulder and set off down the street, leading the way to the harbour.

They sprinted down the street, Rhea going whiter and whiter the further they went, before Lyra led them to a small powerboat.

“This? This is your boat?” Ally shouted in horror.

“This is how we _get_ to my boat, get in!”

They quickly loaded their supplies and set off, abandoning the trolley by the water. Time was passing and they would only just have time to get on and cast off before the flares hit, if everything ran exactly to time which it was sure not to.

Lyra steered the boat up to the pontoon and Ally helped Rhea up, the girl was near delirious and it was a miracle she was still standing. Ally unloaded the supplies out of the boat as Lyra jumped on board one of the most luxurious yachts Ally had ever seen.

“Even by your Dad’s high standards this is impressive. How many people can this hold?” Ally asked, amazed.

“Eight people, more if they sleep in the sitting room.”

 _Sitting room!_ “Can we really manage this by ourselves?”

“Yes but without Rhea being able to properly use her arms it will be harder, but we are going to have to. Maybe if you two swap and you manage the main sails but then she’s never done navigation before."

“It's okay, Lyra, I’ll learn,” Rhea gave a small smile as she made her way towards the supplies.

“No no, you’re faint enough as it is, get on the yacht,” Ally fussed, pushing her gently towards the boat.

She nodded and allowed Lyra to help her over the railings as Ally quickly brought the supplies over.

“Ally, I need you to cast off and I'll use the motor to get us out of the harbour. We won't use it once we’re in open sea unless we really need to, I’d rather save the electricity for the nav system”

“Okay,” Ally called back, nervous that they were leaving dry land, without knowing how long it would be.

She unwrapped the ropes as quickly as she could. The ropes were thick and heavy and the knots stiff from months disuse. She clambered aboard just as the motor kicked in.

Ally sighed to herself they had just made it; they only had a few minutes left. The minutes quietly fell away inside her mind, counting down.

_Tick, tick, tick_

Rhea was sat by the supplies, sorting them into piles and filling three rucksacks with basic medical supplies, food and mini torches. They hadn’t had time to open the main body of the boat before they set off.

“Lyra, I need the keys so we can get these supplies inside,” Ally said as she approached the very fancy looking steering area.

“Sure,” Lyra said, not taking her eyes off her course as she reached into her pocket and handed them over. She had a grim look on her face as she steered between the narrow channels created by the other moored ships, tension written on every line of her body. Ally stayed by her side, offering support but also looking out for any signs of life. Why wasn’t everyone heading for the boats?

“Everyone thinks it will be the same as last time,” Lyra said as she passed through the last of the boats.

“Shouldn’t we try and warn them?” Ally asked, her heart aching for all the unsuspecting thousands.

“How? We aren’t the news, we can’t reach everyone.”

“But so many will die,” Ally argued.

“Ally, we can’t save the world. People wouldn’t listen if we did try and say something and if they did, it would be chaos.”

“It still feels like we are running away.”

Lyra sighed, “Part of survival is knowing when to run away.”

They passed through the entrance to the natural harbour and Lyra relaxed ever so slightly at being out in the open sea.

“I suppose you’re right. At least I have you two with me,” Ally said at last with a little smile, before turning back towards Rhea to put the supplies away.

Suddenly a loud bang sounded from behind her.

“Who the hell are you?”

Ally spun around. Poking his head out from between the doors of the hatch was a boy who looked around their age. His long, golden hair was wet, his clothes were damp, and a thick white towel was slung across his shoulders. He looked very shocked to see the girls standing there. He stepped out of the hatch and raised his hands in a gesture intended as a peace offering.

“I'm Newt,” he said.

“Well Newt,” Lyra said, her face a mixture of anger and confusion, “get the hell off my boat!” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, a bit of drama and character exploration for you all, hope you like it! Xx

“Please, let me stay. I was only going to stay in harbour in case the flares make the sea levels rise.”

“Well there are plenty of boats around, go find another one.”

Newt looked panicked.

“The flares could happen any minute, I don't want to burn alive whilst swimming!”

“Well tough, we have no room for hijackers on this yacht.”

“Lyra, we need the extra crew members, he could take over the sails.” Ally cut in,

“Why are you defending him! He tried to steal my boat!”

“I wasn’t going to-” Newt cried.

“Shut up. We don't know if he can be trusted."

“You can, I promise.”

“Shut. Up. We don’t have the supplies.”

“I don’t have much, but I brought some stuff in a dry bag, enough to last me a while.”

“Lyra, we need him.” Rhea’s voice floated over from where she sat, “I can’t manage the sails with my arm and I have no idea how the navigation works.”

Lyra looked like she was going to keep arguing. Ally studied the boy, anyone who breaks into a fancy yacht is never the most trustworthy person, but he looked strong (more than capable to man the heavy main sail) and the fear in his eyes was real. He was just as scared as they were, and perhaps more intelligent than most of the people on land to get on a boat in the first place.

“Let him stay,” Ally said sternly, glaring at Lyra, they were wasting time.

“Fine,” Lyra said, frustrated, “but I hope you can sail because you have to work the main sails, Newt, whatever kind of name that it.”

“Thank you,” He breathed, “I know how to sail, not a yacht, but smaller stuff.”

“What did you sail,” Lyra said, curious despite her annoyance.

“Lazer Radial.”

“This is nothing like a Lazer, so you had better learn fast. If you're no use, I will throw you off this ship.”

“We've run out of time, we have to go inside,” Ally cut across. She had no idea what a Lazer Radial was, and she frankly didn’t care. Her internal ticking had finally stopped.

“Fine,” Lyra said, cutting the engine, “we're not moving any further until the flares pass. Ally, how long after they finish before any possible tsunamis hit?”

“We're a good thousand or so miles from the Arctic so I'd say an hour, two hours max.”

“Then we'll use that time to move even further out. If we can get far enough then we should be able to ride over the wave. I'll take the captain's cabin. Ally, you can share the front double with Rhea. Newt, you can go in one of the bunk bed rooms- preferably as far away from me as you can. You may have won Ally and Rhea over but not me.” She strode from the deck with an armful of supplies and a flip of her short, dark brown hair.

“Bloody hell, she's a fireball!” Newt exclaimed as he watched her walk away.

“Yeah, well I bet you didn't have the journey we had,” Ally said, going over to Rhea.

“Help Rhea get downstairs,” she ordered, pointing him towards the very pale girl.

She picked up as much of the stuff that was scattered on the deck as she could before making her way inside to dump it on the floor, hastily repeating the journey with Lyra until all the things they’d scavenged were in before shutting the hatch behind them.

They seemed to be in a sort of living area filled with sofas surrounding a table in the centre. Rhea was sitting down with her eyes closed at a desk in the corner, computer screens were mounted on the wall in front of her - the navigation system. As Ally walked around, she saw a narrow kitchen on the other side of the steps to the hatch.

Lyra pointed to the kitchen, “Down there is a door, that’s to my cabin. At the other end of the boat, at the front, is Rhea and Ally’s. Before you get there, there is another door on your left. That is where I’m putting you, _Newt_ , far away from me, but first I need to get my stuff out of the wardrobe. Oh, and please put the towel back where you found it, much appreciated.”

She walked to the front to get her stuff leaving everyone else in the living room.

“I’m going to find you something for the pain, Rhea, and then I’ll see what I can do for your arm,” Ally said, breaking the silence before it could get awkward as she rummaged through the cupboards under the sofas.

Rhea nodded slowly, the most she could do without feeling like she was going to be violently ill.

“Newt, can you get me some water and a cloth while I look at her cut,” Ally ordered as she came over, handing the other girl some painkillers.

She unwrapped the hastily applied bandage and looked at the damage.

“I’m going to have to clean this and stitch it up which, without anaesthetic, is going to hurt like a bitch.”

“Do we not even have any alcohol?” Rhea murmured.

“I’ll see what I can find,” Newt said as he returned and set a bowl of cold water and a towel on the table.

“You should sit in the corner of the sofas, this spinny chair will not be any help,” Ally tried to joke as she helped the other girl up.

Lyra came back in with a bundle of clothes and quickly, dumping them in her room to help.

“Fuck that looks bad,” she swore.

Rhea let out a string of swear words as Ally cleaned out the dried blood.

“Lyra please can you hold her down, I don’t want to hurt her more,” Ally pleaded as she dabbed around the area.

Newt returned holding an expensive bottle of whiskey, “It’s all I could find, I promise,” he protested when Lyra opened her mouth in outrage, holding Rhea’s shoulders down as Ally finished cleaning her up.

“It’s for the pain, I’m going to have to stitch her up,” Ally explained,

Rhea moaned in pain, unfortunately still awake, her curly red hair matted to her forehead.

“Here,” Newt said, passing a small glass to Lyra for Rhea to choke down as Ally got out the basic sewing kit that she had found.

“It’s not ideal but it will keep it closed,” she said, threading a needle, “We are going to need to hold her down as this is going to be the worst bit.”

The two girls shot each other a scared but determined look, they had no other choice.

“Newt, help me lie her down on this sofa then hold down her legs, we don’t want her kicking Ally and making her stab me instead,” Lyra ordered as Ally did her best to disinfect the needle.

“Are you two sure you know what you are doing?” He asked,

“If we don’t do this, she will get an infection and without antibiotics, very possibly die. So yes, in that sense, I do know what I’m doing.” Ally snapped,

“Okay okay,” he said, grabbing her legs, “Ready when you are.”

Ally was as quick as possible but she hated hurting her friend.

“I’m sorry Rhea, just a bit longer,” she muttered over and over as she made the little knots, trying her hardest to ignore the girl’s subdued but painful cries.

Finally, it was done. Rhea’s shoulder was wrapped in a fresh bandage and she was carried to her and Ally’s room by Newt and Lyra as Ally cleared all her things away.

Ally finished clearing up and sat on the sofa, running her hands through her tangled golden hair.

“She’s asleep, thank God,” Lyra said, slumping down next to her.

“I just want to sleep but there is blood all over the sofa,” Ally groaned, looking at her next task.

“I’ll do it, go sleep,” Lyra said, leaning into her.

“But I don’t want to disturb Rhea,” Ally yawned.

“Then sleep in the spare room,” she said, pointing to the door next to the desk, “Newt’s already gone to his.”

“I’ll go in a second, s’comfy,” Ally murmured, her eyes drooping.

Ally didn’t make it to a bed, instead the two girls fell asleep slumped against each on the sofa.

A blaze of light shot through the window, waking up the two girls.

“Ow my neck,” Lyra grimaced, rubbing the ache.

“What was that light,” Ally grumbled, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

Newt ran into the room, looking strangely excited.

“Have you seen the sky, it’s amazing!”

Confused, the girls turned to the window and looked up.

The sky was a blaze of fire. The flames burned in every colour- constantly shifting and merging whilst tongues of fire escaped the mass and fell downwards, singeing the ground on the shore. It looked like the apocalypse.

“Rhea would love to paint this,” Ally murmured, getting up to go see the girl.

At the front of the ship there were three doors, the one on the left proved to be Newt’s room, clothes already scattered everywhere, the right was a small but beautiful bathroom meaning that straight ahead was the bedroom.

Ally entered to see Rhea lying on a giant double bed, shaped to a slight point to fit with the prow of the boat, looking up through the sky light.

“You’re awake,” Ally said happily, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“And feeling slightly better, thanks to you,” Rhea returned with a sideways smile.

“I was going to wake you to look at the sky, I didn’t want you to miss it, but it seems you beat me to it.”

“It’s beautiful, the death of a civilisation shouldn’t fill me with joy and yet when I see these colours and shapes, I want it to continue until I have recorded every curve and explosion of colour."

Ally smiled to herself, Rhea always got poetic when she was transfixed by an idea. She slid off the bed and searched through the artist’s bag until she found her sketchpad and basic watercolours.

“I’m sorry you had to leave your paints, but will this do?” Ally asked, handing the supplies to the girl.

“You read my mind,” Rhea said with a smile as she pushed herself up with her good arm so she could paint.

There was a series of shouting and then a slamming door nearby that shook one of the walls of the room.

“What the hell was that?” Ally wondered out loud,

“Newt probably annoyed Lyra, it won’t have taken much, she’s already on edge,” Rhea answered with a full smile this time.

“I’ll go check on her,” Ally said, heading to the door, “you stay and paint. I doubt we will be doing much for a while.”

“I’m trying to work you three out,” Newt said as Ally left the room, “You have access to the nicest yacht I’ve ever seen, have some of the poshest names I’ve ever heard and yet one of you knows very good first aid. You’re either posh girl scouts or everything I’ve heard about private schools is wrong.”

Lyra snorted, “Not girl scouts, Ally’s mum was a surgeon that’s all and did everything she could to make her daughter do the same.”

“You say that like she failed.”

“Yeah, she studies music, not medicine. Little tip from you to me, trying to force Ally to do something will guarantee she never does it.”

Newt laughed, “What’s your excuse then. It seems to be your boat but unless you’re a millionaire yourself or have a very large trust fund, it can’t have been originally yours."

“I didn’t steal it if that’s what you mean.”

“I never said you did, I just want to know who gave it to you? It’s a nice boat, if I’m nice to them will I get one?”

“It was my father’s,” Lyra’s face tightened slightly but not enough for Newt to notice.

“Get a bigger one, did he?” he joked.

“No, he died.”

“Oh shit, I’m sorry-“

“He died, the only one who ever cared, and he left.”

Tears started to fall down Lyra’s face, the emotions of the last couple of hours starting to fall around her. Newt started to move towards her, unsure of what to do.

“Can’t you read hints, couldn’t you see I was beginning to get upset,” she yelled at him.

“Calm down I had no idea,” Newt said, hoping desperately for Ally to come back.

“Get out!”

Fine, he could do that. He silently stood up and walked to his cabin, slamming the door behind him. The sooner he could get off this boat and away from these crazy girls, the better.

Ally came through, hurrying towards Lyra who was already getting control of herself.

It was like flipping a switch, as quickly as it had taken her to get worked up, she had calmed down.

“What happened?” she asked, sitting down next to her, “I heard shouting but I couldn’t hear words.”

“He mentioned my Dad and I flipped out.”

“Oh Lyra,” Ally sighed, emotional outbursts weren’t common for the other girl but when they did happen, they did tend to be spectacular. She rubbed Lyra’s back as she wiped her eyes and got her breathing back to normal.

They both jumped as a dull, thumping sound came from Newt's cabin. Lyra immediately tensed up again.

“What the hell is he doing in there, I swear to God if he damages this boat in anyway.”

“Lyra, Lyra, don't get worked up again. I'll go talk to him. You just completely freaked out in front of him, he probably thinks we are all super weird and I’m going to guess that he has lost people to the flares. “

“Why are you defending him?”

“Because your brain is scrambled right now and I’m being your common sense. We need him until Rhea is better so no throwing him overboard until then.”

Lyra laughed and relaxed as Ally got up, giving her a quick peck on the top of her head.

“Next time you are going to blow up, tell me so I can minimize casualties,” Ally said with a wink and turned before Lyra could flip her finger at her.

She walked over to Newt's cabin and knocked on the door.

“Why the hell are you being polite? Just go in,” Lyra called from behind her.

Rolling her eyes, Ally did as she was told.

“Come to yell at me too?” Newt snarked as she stepped into the room. He was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

“Oh stop being so dramatic, you're as bad as Lyra,” she said as she shut the door behind her. “But if you keep hitting the wall then she might burst in here and yell at you again.”

Newt sat up, his eyes were red and he looked rather embarrassed.

“Look, I’m sorry about Lyra’s Dad, I had no idea.”

“I know you didn't. Lyra's calmed down now, she doesn't normally get that angry."

“Really? It was pretty fucking dramatic.”

“It happens once a year, I’m sorry you had to witness it this time,” Ally joked.

“Ha ha, can’t say I feel honoured,” he muttered.

“Look, it’s been a stressful couple of hours, I promise we are not always like this.”

“Well I would hope you’re not stitching each other up every day, that’s just weird.”

Ally burst out laughing and after a second, Newt joined her.

“I swear to God if you two are flirting in there I will puke,” Lyra’s disembodied voice floated under the door.

“Love you too,” Ally called back.

“Is she always like that?” Newt asked.

“Like what?”

“So blunt.”

“Yes, there’s no way around it. But once she likes you, she will defend you to the end of the earth,” Ally replied with a small smile.

“Good to know.”

“So, do you want to tell me why you were hitting the walls and crying or am I to make up a suitable story?” Ally asked after a short pause.

“None of your business,” he said shortly.

“Fine,” Ally turned around and opened the door, “but if you ever find yourself wanting to talk to someone, come find me,” she tossed over her shoulder.

“What did he say,” Lyra asked as Ally sat back down next to her.

“Nothing of interest.”

Lyra snorted and rolled her eyes, “Typical.”

The two sat in a comfortable silence as the cabin slowly started heating up. There was nothing to do but wait it out.


End file.
